Jim Kelley has an interesting column wondering if expectations are routinely too high for Canadian teams. Basically, he doesn’t think it’s realistic to expect any team to consistently make the playoffs. As someone whose life and career are predicated on meeting low expectations, I have to tip my hat to Kelley and his slacker defense. It’s really quite genius.

When you watch the Islanders, you see a lot of potential. They’re a fast team that can swarm the net and while they almost completely lack anyone who can finish (defenesman Mark Streit might be their best pure goal-scorer), I get the feeling this could be a competitive team in a few years (if coach Scott Gordon is allowed to stay). I’m not sure about Doug Weight’s role in this kind of offense. I figure the Islanders want him to be the guy who’s old enough to buy beer for the rest of the team.